US5327966A - Wellhead equipment - Google Patents
Wellhead equipment Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US5327966A US5327966A US08/067,749 US6774993A US5327966A US 5327966 A US5327966 A US 5327966A US 6774993 A US6774993 A US 6774993A US 5327966 A US5327966 A US 5327966A
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- main body
- housing
- hanger
- ring
- wellhead equipment
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 21
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 description 4
- 229910000975 Carbon steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 229910045601 alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000000956 alloy Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000000712 assembly Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000000429 assembly Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000010962 carbon steel Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000004568 cement Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000005553 drilling Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000004913 activation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B33/00—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells
- E21B33/02—Surface sealing or packing
- E21B33/03—Well heads; Setting-up thereof
- E21B33/04—Casing heads; Suspending casings or tubings in well heads
Definitions
- This invention relates in general to wellhead equipment of the type wherein a tubular hanger connectible to the upper end of a pipe string has a shoulder thereabout for landing on a seat about the bore of a wellhead housing disposable at the upper end of the well so as to suspend the pipe string within the well as the hanger is lowered into the bore. More particularly, it relates to improvements in equipment of this type wherein the seat and shoulder are of such construction that their load surfaces occupy the least possible annular space between the hanger and housing bore, so that, in the drilling and completion of a well of this type, it is possible to land the hanger for a pipe string of required diameter within the bore of a housing of the largest possible size.
- this invention relates to subsea wellhead equipment of this type wherein a hanger is connected to the upper end of the inner casing for landing on a seat within the bore of a wellhead housing connected to the upper end of an outer casing of a subsea well.
- the housing and hanger are made of a low alloy, carbon steel which, when of high yield strength, are susceptible to damage by H 2 S which is often present in the well fluid from lower depths of the well.
- H 2 S which is often present in the well fluid from lower depths of the well.
- seal assemblies which conventionally close off the annular space between the hanger and bore above the longitudinal passageways conventionally formed in the hanger to permit drilling fluids to be circulated through the annular space before activation of the seal assemblies.
- the load surfaces are formed on fabricated rings of the high yield strength material, the ring forming the seat being mounted in a recess about the bore of the housing and the ring forming the shoulder being threaded about or otherwise mounted on the main body portion so as to support the main portion therefrom.
- the need for fabricating these rings, as well as the housing, necessarily increases the cost of manufacturing such equipment, and it is therefore the object of this invention to provide wellhead equipment of this type in which the seat on the bore of the housing is formed in a less expensive manner.
- the housing includes a main body of a first material having an internal cavity thereabout and a weld body of a second material having a considerably greater yield strength than that of the first formed integrally with the main body within the cavity to provide an upwardly facing seat in the housing bore
- the hanger includes a main body of a first material and a ring of a second material having a considerably greater yield strength than that of the first material and carried by the main body in position to provide a downwardly facing shoulder engageable with the seat to support the hanger therefrom.
- the cross-sectional area of the weld body supported by the main body of the housing bears substantially the same ratio to that of the seat as does the yield strength of the weld body to that of the main body of the housing, and the cross-sectional area of the main body supported by the ring bears substantially the same ratio to that of the shoulder as does the yield strength of the ring to that of the main body.
- the ring is threadedly connected to the main body of the hanger to contribute to the area supporting the main body.
- the yield strengths of the main bodies of the housing and hanger are essentially equal, and the yield strengths of the weld body and ring are essentially equal, with the yield strength of the main portion of the housing being about 75,000 psi to provide resistance to damage by H 2 S, and the yield strengths of the weld body and shoulder ring being on the order of about 150,000 psi.
- the wellhead equipment is installed on a subsea well, wherein the housing is adapted to be mounted on the upper end of an outer casing string, and the hanger is connectible to the upper end of an inner casing string for suspending within the outer string.
- a means is also provided for closing off the annular space between the housing bore and hanger so as to protect the load surfaces from H 2 S produced with well fluid through the inner casing string.
- FIG. 1 is a half vertical sectional view of subsea wellhead equipment constructed in accordance with the present invention.
- FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the equipment of FIG. 1, as seen along broken lines 2--2 of FIG. 1.
- the wellhead equipment is shown to comprise a housing 10 mounted on the upper end of an outer casing string 12 extending within the well bore and having a bore 11 therethrough forming an upward continuation of the casing string, and an upwardly facing seat 13 which is formed in the bore in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter.
- the wellhead equipment further includes a tubular hanger 14 adapted to be connected at its lower end to the upper end of an inner casing string (not shown) and having a shoulder 15 formed thereabout, again in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter, for landing on the seat 13 to suspend the inner casing within the outer casing.
- Passageways 16 are formed in the hanger to connect at their upper and lower ends with an annular space between the hanger and bore of the housing. As indicated, these passageways permit the circulation of cement downwardly through the hanger and inner casing and upwardly into and through the annular space. Upon completion of this circulation, the annular space is closed above the passageways by means of a seal assembly SA, which may be constructed and moved into sealing position with the bore of the housing and outer diameter of the hanger in a manner shown in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,860.
- the housing 10 comprises a main body 17 extending its full length of the housing and a weld body 18 forming its upwardly facing seat 13. More particularly, the main body has an annular cavity 19 about its bore to receive the weld body which is formed integrally with the main body within the cavity. As will be appreciated, upon formation of the weld body in the cavity, its inner side would be finished to form the conical seat 14 intermediate the cylindrical surfaces forming continuations of the bore above and below the seat.
- the hanger 14 on the other hand, comprises a main body 20 about which the passageways 16 are formed and a ring 21 which is threaded at 22 to the main body in surrounding relation to the passageways. More particularly, the ring is received in a relieved area of the main body of the hanger beneath a downwardly facing shoulder 23 to move its upper end into tight engagement with the downwardly facing shoulder 23 so that the main body is supported from the ring when the ring is landed on the seat in the bore of the housing.
- the load of the inner casing is transmitted through the shoulder 23 and the threads 22 to the seat 13, and from the seat 13 through the weld body to the lower end of the cavity in which it is integrally formed.
- each of the housing and hanger are formed of a low alloy, carbon steel having a yield strength not substantially more than 75,000 psi.
- Each of the weld body and ring 21, on the other hand, are formed of a metal having a considerably greater yield strength, which may be in the order of 150,000 psi. More particularly, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the cross-sectional area of the seat 13 is approximately half that of the cross-sectional area of the weld body supported by the lower end of the cavity in the main body of the housing.
- the cross-sectional area of the load shoulder 15 on the upper end of the ring 21 is approximately one-half that of the upper end of the ring on which the shoulder 23 of the main body of the hanger is supported as well as the area of engagement of the threads 22.
- H 2 S is normally encountered only at great depths within a well, and thus would enter the bore of the housing only through the bore of the hanger.
- Well fluids in the annular space beneath the seal assembly, and thus the area in which the high yield strength well body and load ring are located, is from a much shallower level of the well, which ordinarily would not encounter H 2 S.
Landscapes
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Geology (AREA)
- Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
- Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
- General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
- Earth Drilling (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims (12)
Priority Applications (4)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US08/067,749 US5327966A (en) | 1993-05-26 | 1993-05-26 | Wellhead equipment |
SG1995001878A SG44335A1 (en) | 1993-05-26 | 1994-03-17 | Wellhead equipment |
GB9405257A GB2278380B (en) | 1993-05-26 | 1994-03-17 | Wellhead equipment |
NO941507A NO308483B1 (en) | 1993-05-26 | 1994-04-26 | Wellhead equipment comprising a wellhead housing and a tubular hanger for a pipe string |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US08/067,749 US5327966A (en) | 1993-05-26 | 1993-05-26 | Wellhead equipment |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US5327966A true US5327966A (en) | 1994-07-12 |
Family
ID=22078144
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US08/067,749 Expired - Lifetime US5327966A (en) | 1993-05-26 | 1993-05-26 | Wellhead equipment |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US5327966A (en) |
GB (1) | GB2278380B (en) |
NO (1) | NO308483B1 (en) |
SG (1) | SG44335A1 (en) |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5813470A (en) * | 1996-11-14 | 1998-09-29 | Abb Vetco Gray Inc. | Means for relieving load on stacked casing hangers |
EP2314828A3 (en) * | 2009-10-20 | 2015-07-22 | Vetco Gray Inc. | Wellhead system having wicker sealing surface |
Citations (11)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4455040A (en) * | 1981-08-03 | 1984-06-19 | Smith International, Inc. | High-pressure wellhead seal |
US4460042A (en) * | 1981-10-29 | 1984-07-17 | Armco Inc. | Dual ring casing hanger |
US4515400A (en) * | 1982-03-15 | 1985-05-07 | Cameron Iron Works, Inc. | Wellhead assembly |
US4577686A (en) * | 1984-04-26 | 1986-03-25 | Vetco Offshore, Inc. | Mudline support hanger assembly |
US4757860A (en) * | 1985-05-02 | 1988-07-19 | Dril-Quip, Inc. | Wellhead equipment |
US4773477A (en) * | 1987-03-24 | 1988-09-27 | Norman A. Nelson | Well suspension assembly |
US4811784A (en) * | 1988-04-28 | 1989-03-14 | Cameron Iron Works Usa, Inc. | Running tool |
US4826216A (en) * | 1988-04-28 | 1989-05-02 | Cameron Iron Works Usa, Inc. | Well housing and landing shoulder |
US4842307A (en) * | 1988-05-24 | 1989-06-27 | Vetco Gray Inc. | Wellhead load supporting system |
US4919460A (en) * | 1989-02-06 | 1990-04-24 | Vetco Gray Inc. | Wellhead casing hanger support mechanism |
US5209521A (en) * | 1989-06-26 | 1993-05-11 | Cooper Industries, Inc. | Expanding load shoulder |
-
1993
- 1993-05-26 US US08/067,749 patent/US5327966A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1994
- 1994-03-17 GB GB9405257A patent/GB2278380B/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1994-03-17 SG SG1995001878A patent/SG44335A1/en unknown
- 1994-04-26 NO NO941507A patent/NO308483B1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
Patent Citations (11)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4455040A (en) * | 1981-08-03 | 1984-06-19 | Smith International, Inc. | High-pressure wellhead seal |
US4460042A (en) * | 1981-10-29 | 1984-07-17 | Armco Inc. | Dual ring casing hanger |
US4515400A (en) * | 1982-03-15 | 1985-05-07 | Cameron Iron Works, Inc. | Wellhead assembly |
US4577686A (en) * | 1984-04-26 | 1986-03-25 | Vetco Offshore, Inc. | Mudline support hanger assembly |
US4757860A (en) * | 1985-05-02 | 1988-07-19 | Dril-Quip, Inc. | Wellhead equipment |
US4773477A (en) * | 1987-03-24 | 1988-09-27 | Norman A. Nelson | Well suspension assembly |
US4811784A (en) * | 1988-04-28 | 1989-03-14 | Cameron Iron Works Usa, Inc. | Running tool |
US4826216A (en) * | 1988-04-28 | 1989-05-02 | Cameron Iron Works Usa, Inc. | Well housing and landing shoulder |
US4842307A (en) * | 1988-05-24 | 1989-06-27 | Vetco Gray Inc. | Wellhead load supporting system |
US4919460A (en) * | 1989-02-06 | 1990-04-24 | Vetco Gray Inc. | Wellhead casing hanger support mechanism |
US5209521A (en) * | 1989-06-26 | 1993-05-11 | Cooper Industries, Inc. | Expanding load shoulder |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5813470A (en) * | 1996-11-14 | 1998-09-29 | Abb Vetco Gray Inc. | Means for relieving load on stacked casing hangers |
EP2314828A3 (en) * | 2009-10-20 | 2015-07-22 | Vetco Gray Inc. | Wellhead system having wicker sealing surface |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB9405257D0 (en) | 1994-04-27 |
SG44335A1 (en) | 1997-12-19 |
NO308483B1 (en) | 2000-09-18 |
GB2278380A (en) | 1994-11-30 |
NO941507D0 (en) | 1994-04-26 |
GB2278380B (en) | 1996-05-15 |
NO941507L (en) | 1994-11-28 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: DRIL-QUIP, INC., TEXAS Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:REIMERT, LARRY E.;REEL/FRAME:006582/0563 Effective date: 19930525 |
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STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: APPLICATION UNDERGOING PREEXAM PROCESSING |
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FEPP | Fee payment procedure |
Free format text: PAYOR NUMBER ASSIGNED (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: ASPN); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY |
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Year of fee payment: 4 |
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Free format text: REFUND - PAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEE, 8TH YR, SMALL ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: R284); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY |
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Year of fee payment: 8 |
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SULP | Surcharge for late payment |
Year of fee payment: 7 |
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FPAY | Fee payment |
Year of fee payment: 12 |